A Tough Day

It's been a super, tough Monday.  We started back up with school, again, today, and Ezekiel has been less than open to the idea.  He's so smart, but he's not very cooperative with the assignments given him.  We did a little school, every day, over Thanksgiving break.  I mean, nothing like we usually do, but something different and unique every day, and he had a super, good restart after break.  Now, I'm kicking myself that I didn't do the same over Christmas vacation.  I just needed a break, too!  I'm so mentally tired by the end of the day, that I feel useless.  Anyway, the fit throwing and constant whining about EVERYTHING, definitely, makes for a long day!  Not to mention, Adina decided to get her bottom molars; so, she has been extra whiny and frustrating to keep calm through it all.  Aaaaah!  Save me!

Anyway, even though I know you didn't come here to listen to me complain, and I'll stop now, thanks for listening.  You probably did come to see another, papercrafting project, which I have for you.  Yea!  My nephew Hunter's birthday was the Sunday after Christmas, and he had his party this past weekend.  Unfortunately, we didn't get to attend, since they live so far away; we had already volunteered in Sunday school; and Ezekiel was supposed to have Awana Club.  Although, Awana did get canceled due to the weather.  We've had so much snow, and the temperatures are ridiculous; but I guess if it's going to be four degrees outside, I'd rather it be so with snow on the ground.  It looks so pretty sparkling, in the sunshine, today.

Oops!  I got distracted, again.  Here's Hunter's birthday card.

I started this card by adhering a piece of Certainly Celery cardstock to a piece of bright blue cardstock, which had been clear embossed with polka dots.  I, then, machine stitched a white-threaded, straight stitch all around their edges and wrapped a So Saffron ribbon, around the two, right where they connected.  The ribbon was adhered, to the back, with mini glue dots.  They were, then, adhered to the So Saffron, cardstock base.  The "hoppy birthday!" sentiment was stamped, in Brilliant Blue ink, on white cardstock; punched out with Stampin' Up's Tag punch; framed with a hand cut, So Saffron, cardstock tag; punched with Stampin' Up's 1/16" Hand Held punch; and laced with a skinny, bright blue ribbon.  The ribbon was, then, wrapped around the larger, So Saffron ribbon and tied in a bow.  To get the full, layered look I wanted, I just kept wrapping and tying more, skinny, ribbon bows, right on top of one another.  To make sure the tag stayed put, I adhered it, to the Certainly Celery cardstock, with dimensionals.  I, then, stamped the leaping frog image, in Jet Black, StazOn, solvent ink, on white cardstock; colored him with a Certainly Celery marker; and glittered him with my new, Sugar Coating glitter, from Doodlebug Design, that BJ put in my Christmas stocking.

Oooh!  I was so excited to see this gorgeous array of colors!  I have so many ideas for these!  Oh, and go check out Samster Mommy's blog for more, fun, glittery ideas.  She bought this...

for $30, and is justifying her purchase with 30 glitter projects.  Fun stuff!

Ok, so sorry!  I got distracted.... AGAIN!  For the finishing touch, on Hunter's card, I added a couple, frog, google eyes (I cannot seem to stamp this frog without those cute, little eyes!), with Tombo, Mono, Multi, liquid glue, and adhered him, to the Certainly Celery cardstock, below the tag and ribbon, with dimensionals.

Here's to a fabulous Monday, for you, and to things looking up, for me!